Free Live Odds - Scores and Odds - Sports News - Sports Information - Live Scores - Sports Statistics - Sports Articles - Sports Standings - Live Scor

FACTS & STATS: Site: Papa John's Cardinal Stadium (55,000) -- Louisville, Kentucky. Television: BigEastNetwork. Home Record: Syracuse 4-1, Louisville 2-2. Away Record: Syracuse 1-1, Louisville 1-2. Neutral Record: Syracuse 0-0, Louisville 0-0. Conference Record: Syracuse 1-1, Louisville 1-1. Series Record: Series is tied, 5-5.

GAME NOTES: Fresh off their biggest win of the season, the Orange of Syracuse will try to become bowl eligible and push towards the Top 25 rankings when they collide with the Louisville Cardinals this Saturday afternoon in a Big East battle at Papa John's Cardinal Stadium.

The Orange were sensational in their last game, as they did not just narrowly defeat the 11th-ranked West Virginia Mountaineers, but instead clobbering them by a 49-23 margin. It was the second win in a row for Syracuse, which could become bowl eligible for the second straight year with a win this Saturday.

The Cardinals have a chance to spoil Syracuse's mood, and can do so by claiming their fourth win on the year. Louisville was able to snap a three- game slide with a slim, 16-14 decision over Rutgers this past weekend. It was the second home win on the year fro Louisville, which is now 1-1 in conference play.

This has been a tightly contested series since the beginning, resulting in a 5-5 tie in 10 previous meetings. The Orange claimed a 28-20 decision over Louisville last year at the Carrier Dome.

Ryan Nassib's impressive season continued in the team's recent matchup against powerhouse West Virginia, as the quarterback picked apart the Mountaineers for 178 yards and three touchdowns. With another win under his belt, the quarterback has now thrown for 1,523 yards and 15 touchdowns against only four interceptions.

However, this isn't a one-man show, as the team has also found some success on the ground, mainly from Antwon Bailey, who is leading the team with 678 yards and six touchdowns. In the victory over WVU, the tailback had no trouble finding room to run, as he finished the game with 114 yards and two scores.

The offense seems to improve each week and the defense has followed suit for the most part. The Orange have been one of the more stingy teams in the nation in terms of stopping the run and head into this matchup limiting opponents to just 99.4 ypg on a mere 2.9 yards per carry average.

However, there is one glaring weakness and it comes against the pass. Syracuse has surrendered 21 touchdowns this year and 15 have come via the pass. On average teams are torching the Orange for a whopping 299.4 ypg. West Virginia clearly took advantage of that, as a result of trailing in the game. Regardless though the Mountaineers racked up 289 yards and three touchdowns through the air against Syracuse.

Syracuse has only seven interceptions on the year and four have come from Phillip Thomas, who is also leading the team with 53 tackles.

The Cardinals have found themselves in the loss column more often than not mainly because the offense has been pedestrian at best. Louisville enters this weekend averaging a mere 16.3 ppg, and that is simply not going to get in done.

The rushing attack has been inconsistent throughout the season, as the team is posting just 120.0 ypg on a weak 3.3 yards per carry. Jeremy Wright has been the best option for Louisville, but he only has 284 yards in seven games.

The passing attack has not been much better though, and that is because Teddy Bridgewater has been inconsistent. The quarterback has completed more than 60.0 percent of his throws, but he has just five touchdowns against six interceptions.

One of those touchdowns came in Louisville's last game, as Bridgewater finished with 122 yards in the team's 16-14 victory over Rutgers. Bridgewater might have tossed the score that sealed the deal, but it was the work of Wright that kept the Cardinals in control, as the tailback rushed for 108 of the team's 187 yards.

The reason why the Cardinals have been able to win even though the offense is averaging less than 20.0 ppg is because the defense has been able to bail the team out of tough jams.

In the last game the Cardinals only managed 16 points, but that was good enough to earn the win.

Louisville has been stout against the run, limiting the opposition to just 99.3 ypg on just 2.8 yards per carry and through seven games this unit has allowed just five rushing touchdowns.

The pass defense has been good as well, allowing just over 200.0 ypg through the air. Louisville has also limited teams to just nine touchdowns, while collecting seven interceptions.

Three of those interceptions came in the win over Rutgers, and one was pulled down by Dexter Heyman, who now has two on the year to go along with his team- best 51 tackles.

The Cardinals will have a tough test against a Syracuse team that seems to be hitting all the right buttons offensively. The Cardinals will likely be in this game down to the final whistle, but the team will likely fall due to its lack of production offensively.

Sports Network Predicted Outcome: Syracuse 24, Louisville 14